Russian investigators question Novaya Gazeta editor over colleague's case

The editor-in-chief of Russian independent ​newspaper Novaya Gazeta was questioned ​by investigators in Moscow on Thursday ‌in ​connection with a criminal case against a colleague, the outlet said.

The TASS state news agency, citing law enforcement ‌sources, said Sergei Sokolov was being questioned in a case regarding the "unlawful use of personal data" following a search at his home. Novaya Gazeta said investigators had ‌brought in Sokolov in connection with a case against his colleague, journalist Oleg Roldugin, ‌who was arrested in April on allegations that he misused personal data, an offence that carries a prison term of up to 10 years. Roldugin is under house arrest awaiting trial.

A ⁠spokeswoman for ​Novaya Gazeta, Nadezhda ⁠Prusenkova, told Reuters that no charges were filed against Sokolov on Thursday. Founded in 1993, Novaya Gazeta ⁠is one of Russia's leading investigative media organisations, known for its investigations into corruption and ​its critical coverage of Russian politics.

A former editor-in-chief of the outlet, Dmitry ⁠Muratov, shared the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize and dedicated the award to six colleagues who were killed ⁠because ​of their work. Russia has tightened its censorship laws and increased pressure on independent media since it launched its war in Ukraine in 2022. Media watchdog ⁠Reporters Without Borders says 50 journalists and media workers are currently imprisoned in the country.

Russian ⁠authorities on Tuesday ⁠detained a Japanese journalist on suspicion of espionage, the most high-profile detainment of a foreign reporter since the 2023 detention ‌of Wall Street ‌Journal journalist Evan Gershkovich.